Farm Street LGBT Westminster Pastoral Group still advertising workshop based on banned New Ways Ministry

By Deacon Nick Donnelly, on December 2nd, 2013

The Diocese of Westminster and LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council’s latest newsletter is still advertising the Next Steps workshops organised by Terence Weldon, which is based on the banned New Ways Ministry.

In a previous newsletter the Diocese of Westminster and LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council’s newsletter announced the following about the Next Step Workshop:

‘Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster has mandated the Soho Masses community to extend its pastoral activity, thanks to the hospitality of the Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception, otherwise known as Farm Street Church, and the Mount Street Jesuit Centre. Next Steps is the theme of a day-workshop which will enable LGBT Catholics, parents and families, to explore what such pastoral ministry might entail, what are the resources at our disposal, and how can we galvanise the community’s various groups in developing collaborative ministry in this area? This takes place on Saturday, 4 May 2013, from 10.00-16.30. See the attached flier for details!

The flier includes the following information about the plans of Archbishop Nichols’ Soho Masses Group to fulfill its mandate in the Archdiocese of Westminster and beyond:

‘In June 2012, a number of members of the Soho Masses Community attended a highly successful one – day workshop, “Next Steps in LGBT Ministry”, led by Frank DeBenardo of New Ways Ministry (USA). The May workshop for the Soho Masses Community will be based on the structure of the New Ways model, adapted for our conditions and local circumstances.’

New Ways Ministry has been condemned by the US Bishops for dissenting from Catholic teaching on homosexuality and the bishops have warned the faithful that New Ways Ministry is not a Catholic organization. Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Bishop Salvatore Cordileone on behalf of the US Bishops issued the following statement on Frank DeBenardo of New Ways Ministry:

‘In view of the recent booklet Marriage Equality: A Positive Catholic Approach, by Francis DeBernardo (published by New Ways Ministry), we, as the respective chairmen of the USCCB Committee on Doctrine and the Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, wish to reaffirm Francis Cardinal George’s statement of February 12, 2010 and assure Catholics that in no manner is the position proposed by New Ways Ministry in conformity with Catholic teaching and in no manner is this organization authorized to speak on behalf of the Catholic Church or to identify itself as a Catholic organization.’

Francis Cardinal George stated the following about New Ways Ministry in 2010:

‘I wish to make it clear that, like other groups that claim to be Catholic but deny central aspects of Church teaching, New Ways Ministry has no approval or recognition from the Catholic Church and that they cannot speak on behalf of the Catholic faithful in the United States.

‘No one should be misled by the claim that New Ways Ministry provides an authentic interpretation of Catholic teaching and an authentic Catholic pastoral practice. Their claim to be Catholic only confuses the faithful regarding the authentic teaching and ministry of the Church with respect to persons with a homosexual inclination’.

Protect the Pope comment: Readers of Protect the Pope, please compare and contrast Farm Street’s LGBT Westminster Pastoral Group’s promotion of Next Step workshops based on workshops given by Frank DeBenardo of New Ways Ministry and the statements given by the US bishops about Frank DeBenardo and New Ways Ministry.

I know the Jesuits as a group – not to say there aren’t some good ones out there – have been one of the driving forces of the “Spirit of Vatican II” modernism which has done so much damage to the Church over the last 40 to 50 years. If someone told me that the Missionaries of Charity were involved in the activities at Farm Street I would be shocked; that it’s the Jesuits – well that’s just par for the course…

Three priests – a diocesan priest, a Franciscan and a Jesuit – were talking about football and the huge salaries paid to top flight players. The diocesan priest cited the example of one player’s lavish spending:

‘He was buying a Porsche but could not make up his mind whether to have it is black or silver. In the end he bought one of each! Is this greed or gluttony? What does the Catechism say?’

There’s other dissent in the LGBTCWPC newsletter, besides advertising Terry Weldon’s workshops. But the newsletter threw up another piece of interesting information – it appears that those connected to this dissenting group have got their feet under the table again in their old stamping ground at Our Lady of the Assumption & St Gregory in Warwick Street. From the LGBTCWPC newsletter:-

It appears that the US ban was more about New Way ministries as an organisation (and particularly their extra curricular activities such as campaigning) than their pastoral work per se. Having said that, even if there were criticisms or limitations of their pastoral programmes, that doesn’t mean the UK programmes haven’t adapted them in response to those critiques before putting them into use here. I would say this appears to be in the area of competency for the UK bishops to ensure and evaluate if particular pastoral programmes are appropriate. You haven’t actually demonstrated that there is anything specifically inappropriate in their actual use within the UK other to complain that the US bishops didn’t like it.

‘In view of the recent booklet Marriage Equality: A Positive Catholic Approach, by Francis DeBernardo (published by New Ways Ministry), we, as the respective chairmen of the USCCB Committee on Doctrine and the Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, wish to reaffirm Francis Cardinal George’s statement of February 12, 2010 and assure Catholics that in no manner is the position proposed by New Ways Ministry in conformity with Catholic teaching and in no manner is this organization authorized to speak on behalf of the Catholic Church or to identify itself as a Catholic organization.’ Sounds like condemnation of their pastoral approach to me. Deacon Nick

Why can’t they just quietly go to Mass and confession, as heterosexual people do? Perhaps you think we should have all wimmin Masses as well? Or, again, why should the drag queens be lumped in with the lesbians? Perhaps, in your view, all the sub-groups should have separate Masses & Groups? Where does it stop?

Your claim that the New Ways Ministry in London is substantially different in outlook, ethos and aim from its American namesake has a very hollow ring to it.

Did you ever attend one of the Soho Masses? Are you aware of the extra curricular activities of several of the leading-lights of the Farm Street LGBT group? I very much suspect you are.

WUE,
You’re dead right. Theirs is simply a pack mentality masquerading as a desire for ‘pastoral care’, and our bishops are either duped by it, too cowardly to stand up to it, or secretly complicit with their agenda. These people simply ignore (and even attack) the CDF document which states the following about true pastoral care: “But we wish to make it clear that departure from the Church’s teaching, or silence about it, in an effort to provide pastoral care is neither caring nor pastoral. Only what is true can ultimately be pastoral. The neglect of the Church’s position prevents homosexual men and women from receiving the care they need and deserve.”
All they want to be is be affirmed in their behaviour, including, for some of them, sexual activity, and remain steeped in the ‘LGBT’ sub-culture, while maintaining a veneer of religion. They clearly do not find comfort in religion, because they could frequent the sacraments anywhere, they find comfort and affirmation in being with people of a like mind, i.e. those who oppose the Church’s moral and doctrinal teachings.

Come on why censor me? you playing Catholic Heralds game too? nothing i said was a lie or unture and I publicaly ask you to reinstate my comment. If i am wrong tell me why now moderator and i will humbly never write here again.

James, I don’t disagree with what you wrote but I have to be careful. I don’t want to give the enemies of Protect the Pope, and there are many including some in the hierarchy, the excuse to shut down this website. Over the past two months the pressure to restrict and censor this website has been increasing. I can foresee in the near future steps will be taken to shut this website down. Deacon Nick

Disgraceful. We will all support you in whatever way we can, firstly by prayer. It is because you speak the truth without fear or favour and are faithful to the doctrine of the Church that you have enemies. The devil hates those who continue to uphold the truth, no matter what threats they are subject to. And the devil has control of many in leadership positions in the Church (for a long time). I am with you in your suffering and sacrifice for God, His Holy Church, the Truth, the salvation of souls. You are close to God. We all need to try to carry our crosses and achieve sainthood as God desires for us. Thank you for your service to the Church and society in general. Archangel Michael protect you and your apostolate.

I came here because i wanted to speak the truth. I am humble enough to accept a rebuke if i am wrong, so if so tell me why? and i will publicaly apologise before my brothers and sisters here on Protect the Pope.

So you still are stopping my comments. why? if i have spoken out of turn then say publicaly before everyone here to why my comments needed to be silenced. what are you afraid of before our Lord. I have never been offensive or rude, only spoken in truth so why moderate my comments?

James,
Back off on this one, please. This is not about you, and having your specific question answered (whatever it was). It is about a more lasting work, that needs to be able to continue for longer to do even greater good. Show some true humility and accept that you don’t always have to be given the answer to everything all the time, which is the same for all of us. Sometimes we are not given the whole picture and we have to accept that. Please take my word on this, I am involved with people who work under extremely difficult circumstances, and they know when to speak out and when to remain silent and I have seen through them, that it is a gift to discern this. There are times to speak out and times when discretion is better. You could never accuse Deacon Nick of not speaking out! But more souls can be won in the way I have described to you. Harassing someone to prove a point will only harm you, and any cause you hope to serve.

Pat: I totally agree. I have reason to believe that there are those who would like PTP to be shut down and discretion is the better part of valour. I think we need to respond to Pope Francis’s call for evangelisation and we need to think about how these blogs can be a tool of evangelisation. When we write comments we ought to bear in mind that we could be evangelising or we could be just grumbling and thereby giving scandal.

Dear Deacon Nick I am not harrasing you and never would? Your comment did not appear untill the third and i was the first person to post. I assume there has been some misunderstanding and i apologise if i have offended you, however I do also understand there are those that would wish to close this site. Would we expect anything else in truth?

But you do Know I wasnt offensive or rude and only spoke in truth before our God. I will not be commenting here in future, but please dont take this as a rebuke, but i can clearly see you need this site for an output.

Deacon, I did not know you were under pressure not to blog certain things. Or is it general? Your blog is absolutely solidly orthodox and clear. I sincerely hope you are not being pressured by any in the hierarchy, such as bishops.

I hear where you are coming from James. Deacon Nick has blocked my comments before. I don’t take it personally because Deacon Nick is one of the few clerics who speaks the truth in love. We need to be cunning with the gospel at times. Deacon Nick you are doing great work, God bless you

Any blogger has a right to block comments without giving reasons. I do this all the time. One has to judge whether the comments forward the discussion, are charitable and reasonable.

I support Deacon Nick’s decision to block or post. That is his business.

As to the support of non-Catholic, anti-Catholic and other groups by parishes, this has to end. These groups do, as one commentator mentioned above, weaken the Church from within.

Deacon Nick, I am sorry about your pressure. As an outsider, I have more freedom than most to make comments. As an ordained minister, you are part of the insiders. I do not envy you your position. If there were more brave clergymen like yourself, we would have a different Church.

Remember, especially brought to the attention to many people, St. Nicholas did slap Arius, his old student, and Arius was old, in his sixties.